How Paul Ryan Took Three Different Positions On Medical Marijuana In One Weekend

GOP vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan does not have a history of supporting medical marijuana, or even of tolerating state laws which embrace permitting access to medical cannabis. Ryan voted in 1999 to block medical marijuana in DC (which is now legal). And, in 2006, he voted against a bill that would prevent the Justice Department and DEA from going after medical marijuana users who complied with state laws.

I asked Congressman Ryan: “In Colorado we have medical marijuana. Under a Romney Ryan ticket, what happens?”

Ryan: “It’s up to Coloradans to decide.”

I said: “So even if federal law says marijuana is illegal, you’re saying?”

Ryan: “My personal positions on this issue have been let the states decide what to do with these things. This is something that is not a high priority of ours as to whether or not we go down the road on this issue. What I’ve always believed is the states should decide. I personally don’t agree with it, but this is something Coloradans have to decide for themselves.”

In other words, Ryan woke up on Friday as a congressman with a firmly anti-marijuana voting record. He abandoned that view during a trip to a swing state where the marijuana issue is hot, and then backtracked the very next day. And he did this all in the very same weekend when he proclaimed that he did not vote for the defense cuts he recently voted for.